ISBN: 9781400345632
Publisher: HarperCollins Focus
Harper Muse
Publication Date: 02/11/2025
Format: Paperback
My Rating: 5 Stars + (ARC)
Sweet Magnolias meets Fixer Upper in this delightfully refreshing debut about a woman bravely chasing her dreams, building a life on her own terms, and maybe even discovering a second chance at love.
Magnolia "Mack" Bishop is staring down the barrel at single motherhood--thanks to an unsolicited personal picture her husband texted another woman that quickly went viral among every mom group in town. But she's determined to not let it distract her from the professional victory she's inches away from: securing Charleston's prestigious Historic Preservation Design Fellowship, the apple of every local designer's eye.
But when the final house tour is undone by a host of calamities, Mack's shot at the fellowship goes up in flames. Smelling blood in the water, Mack's mother, the original Magnolia Bishop, breezes in with a project lead--strings attached. If there's one thing Magnolia lives for, aside from maintaining her station atop the Southern social ladder, it's to control Mack's life . . . and that includes keeping the identity of the absentee father Mack never knew in the shadows.
While working for her mother is the professional equivalent of moving into one's parent's basement, Mack spots an opportunity to make it her own when a television network puts a call out for local designers. Pitching the home renovation TV pilot of her dreams--one with a historic preservation twist--might just be the way to finally prove herself. Still, she'll have to do it covertly to avoid her mother's interference.
Just when Mack finds her professional footing, at home she spots an impossibly familiar figure unloading his moving truck into the newly sold house next door. She is furious, floored, and regrettably flustered because Lincoln Kelly is the one who got away. Fifteen years earlier he was a summer romance she inadvertently fell in love with, and when he left, following his dreams to New York, Mack was broken-hearted.
Filled with characters who could step off the page and a reminder that nothing worth saving is beyond repair, this charming and delightful debut novel will resonate with readers of Southern women's fiction by Mary Kay Andrews and Kristy Woodson Harvey.
REVIEW COMING!
About the Author
Grace Helena Walz is a former (forever) social worker with a passion for heartfelt, down to earth stories.
She resides outside of Atlanta, GA with her husband and two children.
She writes in the moments between covering scraped knees in bandaids and chauffering carpool.
Connect with Grace:
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Behind the Book & the Author
INTRIGUING QUESTIONS. INQUIRING READERS WANT TO KNOW.
Q&A Elevator Ride with debut author
Grace Helena Walz & Southern By Design
Coming Feb 11, 2025!
Praise
'Fans of interior design, Southern secrets, and good, old-fashioned family drama will flock to Grace Helena Walz's page-turning tale. A story of second chances and long-lost love as atmospheric as the Lowcountry itself, this is a positively charming debut from a stand-out new voice. Add it to your TBR list immediately!'
-- Kristy Woodson Harvey, New York Times bestselling author of A HAPPIER LIFE
'SOUTHERN BY DESIGN is a refreshing and lighthearted read that beautifully captures the charm of Southern living while delving into the complexities of single motherhood, family dynamics, and second chances. Magnolia 'Mack' Bishop is a relatable and humorous protagonist whose determination to succeed, both professionally and personally, makes her journey one you'll want to follow. The story's blend of witty dialogue, unexpected twists, and heartfelt moments keeps you hooked from start to finish. If you love stories with strong, resilient women and a dash of Southern charm, this debut novel is a must-read!'
-- Jennifer Moorman, bestselling author of THE VANISHING OF JOSEPHINE REYNOLDS
'This charming debut has it all--second-chance romance, a balmy Southern setting, and plenty of long-held secrets that kept me turning the pages. As easy to imbibe as a glass of cold sweet tea on a hot summer day, SOUTHERN BY DESIGN is perfect for fans of Kristy Woodson Harvey, Karen White, and Mary Kay Andrews.'
-- Colleen Oakley, USA TODAY bestselling author of THE MOSTLY TRUE STORY OF TANNER & LOUISE
'What's not to love about a humid Southern setting, a second-chance romance, and a family full of secrets? This debut novel sets Grace Helena Walz up to become an instant favorite for fans of Karen White, Kristy Woodson Harvey, and Patti Callahan Henry. SOUTHERN BY DESIGN is pitch perfect for book clubs, and just the right amount of sweet.'
-- Kimberly Brock, award-winning author of THE FABLED EARTH
'With bright, snappy dialogue, characters so real they jump off the page, and a Charleston setting to swoon over, SOUTHERN BY DESIGN is a sparkling debut! Walz is going to win fans with this sweet story of big dreams, to-die-for design, and real love.'
-- Lauren K. Denton, USA TODAY bestselling author of THE HIDEAWAY
'With plenty of southern charm and juicy family drama, a second-chance romance with her lost, teenage love, and a mystery surrounding the identity of Mack's father, this appealing novel sits nicely alongside other southern fiction focused on women's lives, like the novels of Kristy Woodson Harvey and Mary Alice Monroe.'
-- Booklist
'With this Charleston-set debut novel SOUTHERN BY DESIGN, Grace Helena Walz has taken her place among such treasured Southern novelists as Dorothea Benton and Anne Rivers Siddons. Her stories and her voice is one readers are bound to adore.'
-- Mary Kay Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of SUMMERS AT THE SAINT
